The dataset used in this analysis is CDC’s Mapping Injury, Overdose and Violence datatset. The dataset is aggregated to the census tract level and contains death counts and rates for drug overdose, suicide, homicide, and firearm related deaths. The first objective of the analysis is to investigate rates of drug overdose mortality in the Southeastern United States. The second objective of this analysis is to investigate the distribution of firearm related deaths in the Southeastern United States.
| Overdose Mortality Rates by State (Southeastern States), 2025 | |||
| State | Overdose Mortality Rate | Median Overdose Rate | Number of Census Tracts |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 31.26333 | 28.40 | 1200 |
| North Carolina | 28.94413 | 24.10 | 2420 |
| Tennessee | 24.22328 | 31.55 | 1628 |
| Georgia | 18.09629 | 16.40 | 2504 |
| Mississippi | 18.05554 | 14.90 | 668 |
| Florida | 17.65496 | 19.30 | 5032 |
| Alabama | 14.42448 | 20.10 | 1164 |
South Carolina and North Carolina reported the highest overdose mortality rates (31.3 and 28.9 per 100,000, respectively), while Alabama reported the lowest (14.4 per 100,000). Tennessee had the highest median rate (31.6 per 100,000), and Florida included the largest number of census tracts (n = 5,032).